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April 15, 1930. K. HOWIE 1,754,680

- I FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q In 12822507:

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April 15, 1930. HOWE 1,754,680

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 yVSEIg. 2.

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April 15, 1930. K, HOME 1,754,680

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 |ulllll .HHIHIHIHHIM April 15, 1930.

K. HOWlE 1 754580 FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 15, 1930. K. HOWIE 1,754,680

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed April 29. 1927 5 sh t -sheet 5 gig. 8.

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Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH HOWIE, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILDMA N MFG. 00., OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IPENNSYLVANLA.

FULL-FASHIONED-KNITTING JYLACEIIJIIINE Application filed April 29, 1927, Serial No. 187,614. Renewed November 2, 1929.

ln the operation of full fashioned knitting machines of the cotton frame type, it is necessary at times to turn the machine over slowly in order to observe the knitting operation or a to bring the knitting elements or other parts to a certain prescribed position for purposes of inspection, adjustment, etc. In the ordinary machine this operation of turning the machine slowly has been performed by means of hand wheels mounted on the main drive shaft of the machine, located at the front upper part thereof where said wheels are convenient to the hand of the attendant. These hand wheels are distributed along the said 1 drive shaft so that the operator may readily find one adjacent the position he happens to be occupying and by giving said wheel rotary movement by hand power the machine is turned over to bring it into the desired position.

Considerable power is necessary to turn the machine over by hand in this way' and particularly is this so when the higher parts of the cams are in action. My improvement includes means by which the machine may be turned over by power and at a prescribed slow rate of speed, said slow speed operation being inaugurated by the attendant from any position he happens to be in along the entire length of the machine, it being possible with said slow speed mechanism for the attendant to bring the machine to a stop instantly upon its arriving at the point in its operation desired for inspection, adjustment, or repair.

Another feature of the invention relates to the capacity of the attachment to turn the machine backward at slow speed so that in case of accident or. parts becoming jammed, it is possible to reverse the motion ofthe machine for a part turn. i Other objects will appear from the following description and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of so much of a full fashioned machine of the cotton type with my improvement attached as is necessary to disclose my invention to those skilled in this art.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the arrow direction.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of the drive and brake.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the brake arm.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the left hand end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the left hand end of the machine embodying my improvements, some parts being omitted and some shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a lock.

Fig. 8 shows another form oftthe invention.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a brake for the main drive shaft.

In these drawings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Fig. 1 represent sections of a full fashioned hosiery machine of the cotton type, in which a stocking leg or foot is knit at each of the sections or heads of the machine. The machine ineludes sections up to say 24 but all of these are not shown. In this view the needles are indicated conventionally at 8. Only enough of the machine organization is shown as is necessary to a clear understanding of the presout improvement, hence as above stated, Fig. 1 is mainly diagrammatic, much of the structure and operating elements being omitted, and not all of the sections are illustrated.

The main drive shaft 9 is'operated from any suitable main driving member or motor, indicated diagrammatically at 10, the drive taking place, for instance, through sprocket wheels and a chain. This drive shaft 9 ordinarily is located near the upper front corner of the machine, and power is transmitted therefrom to the parts to be operated. I show at 52 and 53 the usual gearing between the main drive shaft 9 and the cam shaft 54. It has been the usual practice to operate this shaft for slow speed by hand, for which purpose a number of hand wheels were affixed to said shaft at various points along its length, so that the attendant could operate this shaft from substantiallyany point along the front of the machine. onsiderable power is necessary to operate this shaft by hand as all the sections are actuated from it and one purpose of the present improvement is to relieve the attendant of the labor of turning the me the said main drive shaft 9 through reduc' tion gearing so that a slow speed of turn over of the machine is accomplished. This subsidiary motor is located in the space near the end of the machine between the extreme end frame a and the adjacent cross frame I). The subsidiary motor has a small diameter sprocket wheel 11, driving a chain 12 which passes around a large diameter sprocket wheel 13 mounted on a shaft 14: having a worm 15 which meshes witha worm wheel 16 ofjlarge diameter which is mounted loosely on the main driving shaft, but is adapted to drive the same in a forward direction (the same as the main drive) through a clutch of any suitable form. In the example illustrated the clutch is of the roller type as indicated at 17, it being adapted to drive the shaft slowly in the arrow direction Fig. 2 when the worm wheel is rotated, but when the main drive shaft 9 is rotated by themain drive (motor 10) then the clutch 17 will permit the -main shaft 9 to rotate, or in other words run ahead while said clutch, the worm, and the train of connections leading back to the subsidiary motor remain at rest; This slow speed driving mechanism including the worm, worm wheel and clutch is housed in a casing 18 supported from rods 19 and 30. Electric power to the auxiliary motor is supplied through a switch of any suitable type of which that at 20 is representative.

It is of the type that when its arm 20 is moved to a certain point in either direction,

a spring throws the knife 'or blade to make or break contact as the case may be.

f This switch is operated by a link 21 from an 'arm 22 fixed to a control rod or shaft 23 extending along the machine from end to end at the front upper part thereof and supported in suitable bearings 23 at the various sectlons or machine heads.

This shaft or rod has a number of hand levers 24 thereon distributed at various points along the front of the machine so that the operator standing at any point along the machine which say is 42 feet in length, canconyenrently operate the control shaft by pressmg down on the nearest hand lever. This will throw the switch, which may be of any desired spring snap variety and this will Start the auxiliary motor and through the reduction gearing the main drive shaft will be slowly revolved to permit the attendant to watch the operation of the knitting devices or enable him to bring the-machine to the desired point for receiving his attention for any desired purpose.

When the desired point is reached the operator relieves the hand lever 24 of pressure whereupon a spring 25 will return the link 21 to its former position and will restore the knife switch to open position. At the same time a brake Wlll be set against the large diameter sprocket wheel 13 so as to arrest the slow speed drive. This brake includes. a shoe 26 carried by an arm or arms 27 pivoted at 30. This arm or frame 27 embraces the shaft extension 14* of the worm shaft 14 and it is under pressure of a spring 29 encircling said shaft extension and resting against a shoulder thereof. This spring normally presses the brake shoe against the side of the large diameter sprocket wheel. This brake arm or frame is connected with arms 31 fixed on the control shaft 23, by links 32 slotted at 33 to receive a pin on the arm 31,

said link being pivoted at 28 to the upper end of the brake shoe carrying arms 27.

When the hand lever 24 was depressed as above mentioned the brake was thereby withdrawn from thesprocket wheel 13 so as to free the slow speed connection from restraint. This action of withdrawing the brake is due to the arms 31 drawing upon the links 32 and pulling the upper end of the brake shoe carrying arm or yoke 27 from the sprocket wheel, and as just state above, when pres sure is released from the hand lever the currentis cut off from the auxiliary motor and the brake is applied to the sprocket wheel 13 to arrest the slow drive mechanism.

As the main shaft 9 is driven by the slow speed mechanism through the roller clutch this may permit the shaft 9 to rotate or run ahead when the slow speed m'echanismcomes 10 rest. I therefore provide an additional brakemechanism which I apply to the fly wheel 34 of the machine and which is mounted on the main drive shaft. This brake mechanism is set by drawing the handle 24 the arm 22 can have idle movement in the action just described. When the braking of the main shaft has been effective the handle 2.4;is released and it drops back to neutral position. For the purpose of allowing the hand lever to be pulled up to its full limit to set the brake u n the flywheel following the setting of the rake upon the large diameter sprocket wheel of the slow speed mechanism, the link 32 is slotted at ,33 as before mentioned.'

The mechanism for applying the braking power to the fly wheel to stop rotation of the main shaft9 includes a brake shoe 35 pivotally mounted at 36 having an arm 37 connected by a link 38 with an arm 39 eitending from the control rod or shaft 23, the said link having a slot 40 receiving a pin on the arm 39, so that said arm can have lost motion during the downward movement of hand lever 24 and its return to intermediate or neutral position.

The clutch shown herein between the worm wheel and the main drive shaft is like other elements, illustrative of one form of said elements and representation of other equivalent forms which may be employed.

In order to reverse the movement of the slow speed mechanism to turn the machine backwards for instance to relieve jams or to position the machine for the placing of the welt hooks in case it runs ahead of the desired stopping point I employ a shifting key 41 operated by a finger lever 42 through a grooved collar 43. This key, ordinarily, when the machine is being driven forward by the slow drive mechanism through the clutch,

is in the idle position shown in Fig. 6, i. e. at

the left hand limit of its stroke and therefore out of connection with the body of the worm wheel. By throwing the handlever 42 to the left the key will be thrown to the right to connect the main body of the worm wheel with the main shaft directly and at the same time a reversing switch arm 47 will be thrown to reverse the motor 10.

This is done through the connection consisting of the arm 45, link 46 and switch arm 47 of the reversing switch. At the same time a lock 491B set to prevent'the main motor from being started. This starting of the main motor is done in ordinary practice by moving the starting rod 48 axially, said rod extending along the front of the machine from end to end and within reach of the attendant at all points along the knitting front. This starting rod as in ordinary practice operates the switch which controls the main motor.

In order to prevent this rod from being operated when the reversing of the slow drive mechanism is put into effect, I connect a sliding lock bolt 49 with the reversing lever 42-45 so that when the reversing lever is set to reverse the direction of rotation of the machine the locking bolt will obstruct axial movement of the starting rod 48 and thus the main motor will be kept out of action. The starting rod has a notch 50in itwhich takes the shoulder 51 on the bolt 49 when the locking action is effected.

with the brake 26* of the slow speed drive and with the brake 35 of the fly wheel of the main shaft and a reversing arrangement similar to that described above can be employed. i

Electric switches are employed in this form'like in the form first described.

In this second form the cam shaft 54 ,is driven through gears from the main shaft 9. The main shaft may be driven in any suitable manner as through gearing 1O from a main motor.

The cross frames 6 of the sections or heads are mounted upon a base frame A instead of being mounted directly upon the floor. This base frame does not increase the usual height of the machine, but the cross frames are modified by omitting their foot portions,

which foot portions ordinarily individually rest upon the floor, and mounting these modified forms of cross frames upon the base frame. This base frame has its uppersurface planed at A so that the cross frames when bolted thereto are accurately aligned with each other.

Features of the invention disclosed herein have been embodied in an improved machine disclosed in application filed November 3, 1928, Ser. No. 317,046.

The feature of arranging the main drive shaft at a low position in the machine and operating it either at the normal production speed or at a slow speed in'simulation of turning the machine over by hand has been embodied in said other application with claims directed thereto.

I claim:

1. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive, an auxiliary slow speed drive driven by power means other than that for the main drive and manually operable means for throwing said slow speed drive into and out of action, said manually operable means being within reach of the attendant along the entire knitting front, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive including a main drive shaft, a main motor and a motor connected to said shaft, an auxiliary driving means connected to said main drive shaft through connections including a clutch ,to drive the saidshaft slowly in simulation of driving by hand. said clutch allowing said shaft to run ahead when the machine is driven at highspeed by the motor, and means for controlling the auxiliary drive by hand from any point along the front of the machine. substantially as described.

3. In combination in a full fashioned knittin speed drive to turn the machine backward, a

main drive, a starting member for the main drive, means for locking said starting member when the auxiliary drive is in reverse, and means extending along the machine and within reach of the attendant at any point along the machine for throwing the auxiliary drive into or out of action, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main shaft, a main driving member connected with said shaft, an auxiliary driving member, speed reducing connections, including a clutch for turning said machine forward, slowly, controlling means for the auxiliary drive, brake means for arresting the slow speed drive when said drive is discontinued, a control rod extendinglengthwise of the machine, means for operating the control means for the auxiliary drive from said control rod and for controlling also the brake from said rod, said rod being operable by the attendant from the various stations along the front .of the machine, substantially as described. I

5. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main shaft. a main driving member connected with said shaft, an auxiliary driving member, speed reducing connections between said auxiliary member and the main shaft, including a clutch for turning said shaft forward slowly, controlling means for the. auxiliary drive, brake means for arresting the auxiliary drive, a control rod extending lengthwise of the machine, means for operating the control means for the auxiliary drive from said control rod and for controlling also the brake from said rod, said rod being operable by the attendant from the various stations along the front of the machine, said control rod being mounted to rotate and hand levers disposed at various points along the machine by which said rod may be operated.

6. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main shaft. an auxiliary drive comprising a driving member, reduction gearing between said auxiliary driving member and the main shaft, a clutch between said reduction gearing and the main shaft for driving the main shaft forwardly, a main odriving member connected to the main shaft for driving the same forwardly, a brake for the auxiliary drive, a brake for the main drive shaft, means for delivering power to or cutting it or from the auxiliary drive, a manually operable control rod extending along the front of the machine, said rod controlling the last mentioned means, and both brakes,

to control the operation of the slow speed drive.

7 Driving and controlling mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines according to claim 6 having means for applying the brakes of the auxiliary drive and the main drive shaft in succession, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive including a motor and a main shaft driven therefrom, an auxiliary motor, speed reducing gearing between said auxiliary motor and the main shaft, a forward driving clutch between said gearing and the shaft to drive said shaft forwardly, and. to permit the said shaft to be driven forward by the main drive when the auxiliary drive is out of action, a switch controlling the current to the auxiliary motor, and means for operating said switch from various points along the front of the machine, and means extending along the front of the machine for throwing the main drive into or out of action, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main shaft, a main drive, an auxiliary slow speed drive with a forward driving clutch between said auxiliary drive and the main shaft to drive said shaft forward and permit said shaft to be driven forward by the main drive when the auxiliary drive is out of action, means whereby the auxiliary and main drives may be controlled independently from substantially any point by the means which controls the auxiliary drive, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive shaft, a main drive connected therewith, an auxiliary drive connected with said main shaft by a clutch to drive the shaft forwardly, said; auxiliary drive including a worm wheel on the main shaft driving said clutch, a worm, a gear for driving the worm, a rock shaft or rod extending lengthwise of the machine and having hand levers disposed at different points for rotating said rod to throw the auxiliary drive in or out of action, and a brake for the auxiliary drive operated by said rock shaft or rod.

11. A full fashioned knittin machine according to claim 10 in which t e main shaft has a brake and saidrock rod controls said brake, substantially as described.

12. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive, a slow speed supplemental power drive, and means for controlling said supplemental drive to throw it into or out of action, said means being arranged alon the upper front part of the machine accessi le to the'attenda nt while in position to observe the operation of the knitting elements.

13. In ap aratus according to claim 12, means exten in along the upper front part of the machine f or controlling the main drive from various positions along the machine and a locking device for preventin the main drive controlling means from ated when the controlling means of the slow speed'drive is operated, substantially as described. I

14;. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, power operated means for drivin the machine either at normal speed or at a s 0w speed in simulation of driving by hand, manually operable means for controlling the said slow speed drive from various points along the machine front, and brake means operated as a consequence of discontinuing the slow speed drive from any of said various points. I

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, in which the brake means is released as a consequence of and when the controlling means is operated at any of said various pointsalong the machine to start the slow speed drive of the machine.

16. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, power operated means for driving the machine either at normal speed or at a slow speed in simulation of driving by hand, manually operable means for controlling the said slow speed drive from various-v points along the machine front, brake means for arresting the machine,and a connection for transmitting the power of the operators hand through said controlling means for releasing the brake from any, of said various points.

17. Apparatusaccording to claim 16 in which the brake sets itself automatically to stop the machine when the slow speed power to the power operated means is cut off by operation of said manual means at any of said various points.

18. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive, an auxiliary drive including a clutch, brake mechanism for arresting the machine when either the main driveor the auxiliary drive is thrown out of action, controlling means for said main drive extending along the upper front part of the machine and accessible tothe attendant at various points along the machine, control.- ling means for the auxiliary drive also extending along the upper front part ofthe machine and accessible to the attendant at various points along the machine, said auxiliary drive eing reversible to turn the machine backwaf'ds, and means for reversing the'auxiliary drive, substantially as described.

-19. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, power operated means for driving the machine at either normal speed, or at a slow speed in simulation of driving by hand, and manually operable means for controlling the slow speed drive fromvarleing oper- &

ous points along the machine front, substan= tially as described.

20. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main drive shaft extending along the upper front part of the machine, power operated means for driving the said shaft at either normal speed, or at slow speed in simulation of driving by hand, manually operable means for controlling the normal speed drive from various points along the machine front and manually operable means for controlling the slow speed drive from various points along the machine front, sub

stantially as described.

21. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, power means for driving the machine at low speed in simulation of turning the machine over by hand, manually 0perable control means accessible to the opera-= tor at various points along the machine front for throwing the power off from and onto said power means, a brake for arresting the machine, a spring for automatically setting the brake when the power is thrown off, said brake being under control of said control means from said various points.

22. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a main driving shaft, means connected with the said shaft for driving the machine at normal production speed, means for operating the machine at a slow hand speed including a clutch to drive the main shaft and allow said shaft to run ahead when the machine is driven at said normal speed, manually operable means for connecting the slow speed driving means with the main shaft for reverse driving of the machine by said slow speed drive, control means accessible at different points alon the machine for bringing the normal spee drive into or throwing it out of action, and means automaticallylocking the normal speed drive against being started when the machine is set for reverse driving, said slow speed drive being control lable from various points along the machine front.

23. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, means for operating the ma chine at normal speed, manually operable controlling means accessible to the attendant at various stations along the machine front for throwing the power on or cutting it elf from any of said stations, for driving at said normal speedorstopping, brake means for arresting the machine, manually operable means accessible to the attendant at various oints along the machine front for controlling the brake means, and means for operating the machine at slow speed.

24:. In combination in a full fashioned knit ting machine, power means for driving the machine, automatic brake means for arrest ing the power drive when the power is cut off, and for releasingsaid power drive as a consequence of throwing the power on, and

manually controlled means accessible to the operator at various stations along the machine front for throwing the power on and oil, substantially as described.

25. In combination in a full fashioned linit- V ting machine, a power operated normal speed drive, means for throwing the power on or off at normal speed, a slow speed drive, brake means, and means for releasing said brake means from any point alon the machine front for the operation of t e machine at slow speed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix m si ature.

KENNETH 0 IE. 

